What If?
by Spunky
Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night?
1. ch 1

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  
  
  
  
  


I've left this story alone for too long. I suspect everyone is furious with me, however keep this in mind. I originally wasn't going to finish this at all. My computer broke, my brain drained of ideas and I didn't want to write another one of those boring Hogwarts train rides. So, once I had a few months to think and I got a new computer, I came up with a magnificent idea. Why not skip it all together?!?! You will find an author's note tucked in this story somewhere giving a brief synopsis of the train ride and the sorting. Hopefully no one will be upset with that. It's the only way you will get more story. 

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


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Sirius Black raced to Godric's Hollow on his beloved motorcycle. Something was wrong. He knew it. When he had arrived at Peter's house that night to check on him, he was nowhere to be found. Closer, closer, closer he raced. Precious minutes passed quickly as he flew through the night sky. And then, he stopped. 

  
  


He had arrived at the Potter's house. But, there was no house standing where there should have been. There was only some ruble, a cruel reminder of the house that was once there. And then he saw their bodies. James and Lily, his two friends lay there with the life sucked out of them. He started shaking.

  
  


"Sirius? Yer okay?" 

  
  


Sirius turned and saw a giant of a person towering over him. It was Hagrid, a good friend of his, James, Lily, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. "Oh, my- Hagrid, tell me I didn't just see what I thought I saw."

  
  


"I'm sorry Sirius."

  
  


"James and Lily, and-, and- Harry, dead. Oh my god." Sirius was white with shock.

  
  


"Sirius-" Hagrid started.

  
  


"Please tell me this is just a dream." Sirius mumbled.

  
  


"Sirius-" Hagrid tried again.

  
  


"This is all my fault! How could I be so stupid?"

  
  


"SIRIUS!" 

  
  


Sirius looked up startled. "What?"

  
  


"Harry's not dead."

  
  


"What?" Sirius's jaw dropped in shock.

  
  


"Harry's not dead." Hagrid repeated, "He's right here." And sure enough, in Hagrid's gigantic arms was baby Harry. 

  
  


"But, how?" Sirius stumbled to find the right words "The- that spell. It destroyed his house. How could a baby survive anything like that?"

  
  


"Dunno, You-Know-Who tried to kill 'em. See that scar on his forehead? That's where it hit 'em, anyway, You-Know-Who's gone."

  
  


"Gone?!?!?"

  
  


"Yep. I don' really know what happened but somethin' about Harry stopped 'im."

  
  


"Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him."

  
  


"Sorry Sirius, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's."

  
  


"Hagrid, please. You have to give him to me. You don't understand."

  
  


Hagrid looked at Sirius with sympathy, "I'm sorry Sirius, I'm sure yer can talk ta Dumbledore later an' git Harry then."

  
  


"Hagrid, have you ever met his aunt and uncle? They're the biggest Muggles' this side of the solar system. They'll be awful to him."

  
  


"I'm sure Dumbledore knows what he's doin'."

  
  


"Dumbledore hasn't met them either. I didn't believe anyone could be so muggle before I met them. Please, Hagrid. I'm begging you. I need to do this."

  
  


Hagrid thought for a minute, "Okay." He handed Sirius, Harry. "Be careful with 'em now. Yer don' want 'em fallin' off that bike o' yer's."

  
  


"Thank you, Hagrid." Sirius said as he mounted his motorcycle with Harry, "Good-bye." 

  
  


"Bye."

  
  


And Sirius rode away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It was almost morning, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was in an uproar. The students lying in their beds strained to distinguish words from the shouts of fury coming from the Headmaster's office.

  
  


"Dumbledore, how could you let Sirius get Harry? You knew he was James and Lily's Secret Keeper!" Remus Lupin plopped down in one of the chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk. 

  
  


Dumbledore looked pointedly at the angry man sitting in front of him. "Remus, I'm as upset about this as you are, but please! Try to keep your voice down. You'll wake everyone up."

  
  


"You're right." Remus said quietly after a few deep breaths, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been yelling at you. It's not your fault. I'm just so upset. I mean, I can't believe Lily and James are gone; Harry, he was just a baby, and Sirius. I didn't think he had a mean bone in him, and he's a Death Eater. I just can't believe it."

  
  


"You blame yourself." Dumbledore said. It was a statement, not a question.

  
  


Remus looked up in surprise, "Yeah... I- I guess I do. I just keep thinking, I should have figured it out, should have warned James and Lily..."

  
  


"I also blame myself." The old Headmaster said.

  
  


"But it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything about it."

  
  


"I know, but at the same time I keep thinking that if I had changed one thing, asked them one more time if they wouldn't rather have used me as their Secret Keeper, they might still be alive. You can't change the past Remus, only the future. So you see, it's your fault as much as it was mine."

  
  


"Then why do I feel so guilty?" Remus murmured.

  
  


"Because you cared about them, as we all did." Dumbledore stood, "It would be unnatural to not feel guilty because you were their friend, and friends care about each other."

  
  


"I thought Sirius was my friend, no, our friend, and look at what happened!"

  
  


"Well, unfortunately there are exceptions to every rule." Dumbledore paused. "Now it's almost time for breakfast, would you like to come down and join me?"

  
  


"No thank you, I think I'll stay here if you don't mind. I need some time to think and sort things out."

  
  


"Very well, if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

  
  


Dumbledore left the room, leaving Remus alone in the Headmaster's office with his very confused thoughts. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


While Remus was pondering Dumbledore's words, Sirius was searching for a temporary home for him and Harry. He wasn't having a very good time with it though. He had tried to keep his mind clear and not think about James and Lily being... well... gone, but any glance at Harry brought tears to his eyes. Finally, when his vision was impaired by tears making it impossible to steer, he pulled out of the sky and into a nearby alley. He turned the bike off, sat down on the ground and cried.

  
  


"I'm so sorry. James, Lily, this is all my fault. I told you to use Peter and look! Look at what happened! I trusted your lives in him and he was the spy! How could I, for a minute, believe Remus was the spy? It should have been obvious that it was Peter, I mean, when he transformed he was a rat! A rat!" Sirius stood and kicked the wall. "How could I let you die?" he whispered.

  
  


There was dead silence for what seemed like eternity. Then a baby's cry penetrated the stillness.

  
  


Sirius scooped up Harry to try and pacify him, "It's all right Harry, go back to sleep." Sirius rocked the baby gently, but Harry wouldn't be soothed. "I know, you miss your parents, don't you? So do I, but I won't let anything happen to you. We'll get through this. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, heck I haven't got anywhere else to go. Your parents appointed me your guardian and I'm not about to abandon that position now." Harry cooed. "That's the spirt! Since I'm not exactly the Wizarding World's favorite person right now, we'll just have to live as Muggles, and I'll be dammed if you aren't the best muggle Marauder in Europe!"

  
  


And with a slightly higher temperament Sirius took to the skies again. 

  
  


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"We are here today to morn the loss of Lily and James Potter. They were exceptional and affectionate individuals, as well as great friends to anyone they knew. We will miss them greatly."

  
  


Albus Dumbledore proceeded on, but Peter Pettigrew wasn't attentive. He was panicking. He hadn't expected his Lord to meet his downfall at the Potters. And now, one word from Sirius and he'd be in Azkaban, or worse, perhaps even have his soul sucked out of him. Just the thought made him shudder. But everyone seemed to believe that Sirius had been the Secret Keeper and, as long as Sirius didn't show his face, Peter was more than happy to use him as a scapegoat. 

  
  


Peter focused his attention to the people surrounding him. A few of them were glaring at him, namely Lucus Malfoy, Walden Macnair and Barty Crouch Jr. who, due to their positions in the ministry, could not back out of attending the funeral without arising questions. He carefully avoided their eyes. He knew they blamed him for Voldemort's downfall, but he had been as suprised as they were. 

  
  


Dumbledore finished and people came up to offer condolences. Peter was too busy attempting to appear grief-stricken to have any more time for thought's. 

  
  


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Sirius had a plan. He knew the Auror's were probably looking for him in both the Magical and Muggle world's, but lucky for him, they were oblivious to the fact that he was an Anamagi. Therefor he had his pick of Muggle homes for Harry. He studied the families throughout England that night, trying to find a perfect home for him and Harry. Finally he found them... 


	2. ch 2

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It was four-fifteen the next morning when Irene Granger was woken by her young daughter's cries. She pulled herself out of bed and over to the nearby crib. The baby, Hermione, was normally a quiet child. She was a smart child also. Already she was starting to talk. 

  
  


"Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mamas' gonna buy you a mocking bird." She softly sang. "If that mocking bird don't sing, Mamas' gonna buy you a diamond ring." Hermione quieted down and all was well.

  
  


Or was it? Irene could hear a slight scratching coming from downstairs. She tried to tune it out but it continued to grow more and more insistent. Irene began to worry. She set Hermione down and crept down the hall, down the stairs, all the while following the sound. It was coming from the front door. All around her the shadows were dancing on the wall, making the hallway look as though ghosts were sweeping through the house, but there were no ghosts. She knew that. Only her and her shadow, and the noise, that continued to grow louder and louder. Someone was breaking in! 

  
  


She inched up to the door. Closer, closer, closer. Each step carefully calculated, until she was crouched next to the door. She reached a shaking hand up to the door, turned the knob, and flung it open.

  
  


There on the step was a big black dog. And a baby. 

  
  


Irene did a double take. She couldn't believe her eyes. What were a baby and a dog doing on her front porch at four-thirty in the morning?

  
  


Irene called up to her husband, "Daniel! You better come have a look at this!"

  
  


Her husband lumbered down the stairs, "What? Irene it's four-thirty in the morning can't this wait?" 

  
  


"Oh, I don't think so. Look." She gestured to the baby and the dog, who was now sitting perfectly still on the step.

  
  


Daniel's jaw dropped. "What on earth's a baby doing on our doorstep?"

  
  


"I don't know, but I was thinking we should probably take him out of the cold and inside." Irene picked up the baby, "Go warm up a bottle of milk. I doubt this little guy's eaten in a while." Irene shut the door and carried the baby into the kitchen, leaving the dog outside on the porch. "We should probably call the police. Try to find his parents."

  
  


Daniel walked over with the heated bottle "What's that on his forehead? It looks like quite a nasty scar for a little baby."

  
  


"Humm... No idea. I wonder..." Irene drifted off.

  
  


"Well," said Daniel suddenly. "We have just discovered a baby on our doorstep. We should name him."

  
  


"Daniel," Irene started, "the police will take him away-" 

  
  


But Daniel interrupted her. "I don't care if the baby is gone in an hour. He needs a name."

  
  


Irene thought for a moment. "How about Chad? That's what we would have named Hermione, had she been a boy."

  
  


"Chad it is, then."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Peter Pettigrew was sitting down to breakfast when the owl flew in his window. 

  
  


Pettigrew,

Despite your previous display of unfaithfulness, a few of us believe you had no idea that our Lord was going to meet his downfall on your information. Therefor we are going to give you one chance to prove your loyalty. Meet me at the Longbottom's house tommrow at three in the morning. We believe they have information about the location of our Lord. We are going to try to find him and return him to power.

Don't be late.

Barty Crounch Jr.

  
  


Peter smiled an evil smile. A chance to prove himself. Just what he needed.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Police were everywhere. Sirius looked around the front lawn and wagged his tail. Everything was going as planned so far. Now all he had to do was become the Granger's family pet and everything would be okay. 

  
  


Mrs. Granger was giving a report to the police. "I heard something outside and so I came down to investigate. And this baby was sitting on the front step next to this big dog. And-"

  
  


"Where's the dog?" The policeman asked. 

  
  


"Oh, I don't know. I left him outside. When I brought Chad inside." 

  
  


That's my cue, thought Sirius. He walked up to Mrs. Granger and sat down.

  
  


"Here he is." Said Mrs. Granger.

  
  


"Are you sure?"

  
  


"Yes, that's the dog."

  
  


Sirius pawed in the air like he was trying to shake hands. 

  
  


"It looks like he's been trained." Mrs. Granger said. "Come boy. Come."

  
  


Sirius came.

  
  


"Sit"

  
  


He sat. 

  
  


"Incredible. Who would let loose a fully trained dog like this?"

  
  


"Ma'am, I have to leave now." The policeman said, "I'm going to take the dog and the boy with me and so-" 

  
  


"Can't they stay here? We can provide a good home for them. My daughter is about the same age as the little boy and I've been taking time off from work to take care of her. I can take care of both of them. We have a steady income. Both my husband and I are Dentists."

  
  


"Well, all right. I'll have to fill out some paperwork making you the boy's temporary guardian, but I think it would work."

  
  


Jackpot! Thought Sirius. His mouth pulled into a grin and he jumped up in the air.

  
  


"My goodness!" Said Mrs. Granger, "If I didn't know better I'd think he could understand everything I'm saying!"

  
  


'She has no idea,' Thought Sirius with a smile. 'No idea.'

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Early the next morning Peter Apperated to the Longbottom's house. 

  
  


"Over here!" Peter heard someone whisper. It was Barty Crounch and three other of his fellow Death Eaters. "You're here. I thought you might have chickened out."

  
  


"I'm early." Peter replied.

  
  


"Yeah, right. Okay, we're going to split up. Pettigrew, you go with Mr. and Mrs. Lestranges. Head around back. Me and Grabarini; we'll come in from the front. Now be quiet, we don't want to draw the neighbor's attention."

  
  


Peter snuck over to the back door. The last time he had been there he had been attending the Longbottom's Christmas party. The window's had been filled with Christmas light's and people laughing. But not tonight. Tonight all the windows were dark.

  
  


He reached the back door. It was locked. He pulled out his wand and whispered "Alohomora" and the door unlocked. It was silly really, all wizards had at least a simple guarding charm put on their doors at night, and the Longbottoms were Aurors. He would have expected it to be a lot harder to get in than it had been. But he wasn't complaining. 

  
  


Inside was just as dark as outside was. Again he pulled out his wand and whispered "Lumos." He could just barely see the Lestranges behind him. They were the only ones in the room with him. The Longbottom's must be upstairs, he thought as he rounded the corner. He knew the way to their room. He'd passed it on his way to view their new son's bedroom at the Christmas party. Neville, that was the boy's name. Peter hadn't cared whether or not he saw the room, but Lily had wanted to. Which meant James came, which meant that Peter had seen the room. 

  
  


He started up the stairs, Crounch was already halfway up having entered from the front. Grabarini was at the top. They crept along silently, not saying a word. Not wanting to give themselves away. Grabarini and Crounch reached the door and stopped, waiting for Peter and the Lestranges. Finally when they were all there, they slowly opened the door. 

  
  


Someone turned the light's on, revealing a large crowd of Aurors waiting for them.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alastor Moody had been waiting in the dark of the Longbottoms's bedroom with ten other Aurors for several hours when the bedroom door opened. He flipped on the light switch and shouted, "Freeze! Don't move!" 

  
  


The intruders turned to run while delivering several well aimed curses at the Aurors. Two of them fell. Moody returned the intruders fire with the Stunning Curse. The other Aurors around him did the same thing.

  
  


"Stupify!" They cried, and the intruders were knocked out.

  
  


Moody hurried up to the stunned bodies of the intruders and quickly put the Cuffing Charm on them. He surveyed the Death Eaters lying in front of him. There were five of them. Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange were no surprise, he'd had his eye on them for a while, Alex Grabarini was no surprise either. He'd been accused of dark activity before. But the last two intruders startled him. They were, undoubtedly, Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crounch Jr., One of the Potter's good friends and the son of the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Two of the people he had least expected to see. 

  
  


Moody's fellow Auror, Fewson, walked up beside him. "Well," said Fewson, "Unfortunately there's no suprise here."

  
  


"What do you mean? I didn't even know there was going to be a raid tonight, and it turns out that two of the people we're arresting had never even had a shadow of doubt cased over their loyalty. I'd call that a suprise."

  
  


"Well, The meeting tonight was originally going to be a standard meeting to check-in and make sure everything was running smoothly. But this afternoon I was meeting with Dumbledore and Remus Lupin came running into his office. The poor guy was going to pieces. You know he was a friend of the Potters and Sirius Black. Well, he had been over to see Peter Pettigrew that morning. Pettigrew wasn't home but Lupin found a letter on Pettigrew's kitchen table. Pettigrew, being careless had forgotten to put it away. The letter was from Crounch Jr. inviting Pettigrew to tonight's raid and pretty much blamed Pettigrew for the Potters death, instead of Black. Lupin, not knowing what to do, showed the letter to Dumbledore who evacuated the Longbottoms from their home and set up our little group to meet them if they decided to show up tonight." 

  
  


"Hey Moody!" Tomas, another one of the Aurors called, "I could use your help here!" He was getting ready to transport the captured Death Eater's to the Ministry.

  
  


"Be right there, Tomas." Moody replied, and he hurried over to help charm the massive transportation system.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irene looked up at the sky. It was 3:30 in the morning and Chad had woken her up. Poor boy, she thought as she rocked him in her arms. His family must be so distraught. Their baby son was missing. She knew she would be horrified if Hermione ever disappeared. Hopefully they would find Chad's family soon. 

  
  


Irene stood by the window staring out at the pitch black sky with only stars twinkling through the heavy blanket of sky. Her eyes landed on Orian's belt. Her first constellation. Her mind drifted back to the first of many lessons on stars her father had given her. She had been seven. Her father had shown her the big and little dipper, the north star and the bear, but the only one that stuck with her seven-year-old self was Orian's belt. It was easy for her to spot because it was three stars in a row. Now, after many starlit chats with her father, she knew them all, but she still remembered her first constellation, Orian's belt. 

  
  


In the other room the big black dog sighed. Irene looked at him, he looked so sad. Like he beared the whole world on his shoulders and knew all the great troubles of the world. He looked like how she felt when someone she held dear to her died. Like her starloving dad. And so, in memory of him... Irene smiled, "We'll call you Orian."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Bartimus Crounch Sr. stood in front of the jury the next day. "I now ask you to raise your hands if you feel these crimes' deserve lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban."

  
  


In unison the jury raised their hands. The audience in the room began to clap. 

  
  


"Take them away." Crounch Sr. watched as the dementors lead his son, Mr. and Mrs. Lestragne, Grabarini and Pettigrew out of the room. His son was screaming that he hadn't committed the crimes he was accused of but Crounch Sr. knew better. Besides, he never liked his son much anyway. He turned his attention to the next trial. A man named Karkaroff claimed to have names of other Death Eaters, which he would exchange for freedom.

  
  


There was some shouting outside and a man came running in. "He's disappeared!" The man cried "Peter Pettigrew has disappeared!" 

  
  


"What's this?" Crounch asked. 

  
  


"He disappeared! Into thin air!"

  
  


"He didn't apperate did he?"

  
  


"No, we placed an anti-apperation spell on him! He just disappeared!" 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius and Harry quickly settled into the Granger family's daily routine. Daniel, Harry's adoptive father, rose every morning at six-thirty, Irene woke at seven, and fed Hermione and Harry. Then at seven-thirty Daniel left to go to work. Irene then filled her day with numerous activities. She might go shopping or have guests come over, but she always included Harry and Hermione. Then at four, Daniel would return from work. 

  
  


At five everyone sat down to supper together. After supper they would do numerous activities together. Often Daniel could be seen trying to teach Harry and Hermione to talk or play hide-n-go seek. Then at eight Harry and Hermione would go to bed. Hermione's room had been moved around and a second crib was placed in there to accommodate Harry. Irene would sing them to sleep, then after she left Sirius would sneak into the room change into himself and tell Harry stories about Hogwarts and Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. In this way Harry grew-up knowing more about Hogwarts then Albus Dumbledore himself. 

  
  


The Granger's had tried, unsuccessfully to find Harry's family. Sirius hadn't been very suprised that no one had found the notice that had been placed in the Muggle newspaper; no Witch or Wizard read Muggle papers anyway. Besides, Sirius would think bitterly to himself at night, they all probably thought he had killed Harry by now. Peter had gotten away with more than anyone could imagine. He was probably sitting in his house laughing to himself right then about how he had fooled everyone. 


	3. ch 3

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It was ten years later and the last day of fourth grade for Hermione Granger. She was eagerly awaiting the summer courses she was planning to take. "Advanced Calculus" had an excellent reputation for being a thrilling class, also "An In-depth Study of Earthworms" looked exciting. She had already memorized the textbooks and answered all the questions. She only hoped it would be enough. She didn't want to fall behind.

  
  


Next to her sat her rulebreaking brother. Mrs. Snyder had insisted on seating the class in alphabetical order, much to Hermione's dismay. Chad was always distracting her and breaking her concentration. Because of him she had only gotten a 99.9% on her last test. Her lowest grade ever. Needless to say, she had gone home and studied for six hours.

  
  


Speaking of her brother, it looked like he was about to get himself into more trouble. Hermione watched as Chad reached into his bookbag and took out what looked like a peanut butter jar. Chad unscrewed the lid and reached inside and took something out of the jar. 

  
  


"Chad Granger!" Hermione whispered, "Don't you dare do anything or- or- I'll tell on you!"

  
  


Chad just smiled and continued with his mischief making. He reached in front of himself and set the mysterious object on the girl in front of his back, Sylvia Addington. Sylvia had black curly hair and was known for being very stuck up. Hermione watched as Chad counted to himself, 

  
  


"3..." Chad whispered.

  
  


"Don't even think about it! Mum told you she wouldn't ignore it if you caused any more trouble!"

  
  


"2..." 

  
  


"I'm warning you Chad!"

  
  


"1..." Chad's lips curled into a mischievous grin.

  
  


"Chad! Stop it!"

  
  


Chad frowned. As of yet, Sylvia had not noticed the object in her hair, so Chad began counting down through fractions. "1/2..."

  
  


"Miss Granger!" exclaimed the teacher, shocked. "Are you talking during a lesson?"

  
  


"1/4th..."

  
  


"No Mrs. Snyder. I mean, yes Mrs. Snyder." Hermione hurried to explain herself. "But, it's not my fault. You see-" Hermione glanced sideways at Chad. 

  
  


"1/8th..."

  
  


"I never thought I'd see the day, Miss Granger, when you of all people would interrupt my class." 

  
  


"1/16th..."

  
  


"But I can explain! You see-"

  
  


"1/32nd..."

  
  


"See me after class Miss Granger. I am sure you have a reasonable excuse, however I do not wish to waist any more class time so if the class would please turn to page 357 we will begin reading."

  
  


"1/64th..."

  
  


There was rustling as the fifth graders hurried to open their texts.Hermione opened hers as well but she kept glancing over at Chad and Sylvia.

  
  


"1/128th..." 

  
  


It was then that the thing jumped down from Sylvia's hair and onto the desk in front of her.

  
  


"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

  
  


Several things happened at once. The class whipped around to see who had screamed. Sylvia flew up like she had sat on a firecracker and began to run around the room screaming Apocalypse. Mrs. Snyder, ran after Sylvia trying to calm her down, the whole while tripping over her 2-inch, thin, high healed shoes and a long, tight, and gray skirt. 

  
  


"What's going on?"

  
  


"Who screamed?"

  
  


The scream had attracted other teachers and the doorway began to fill. The teachers that arrived took one look at Mrs. Snyder chasing Sylvia and entered the classroom to try to help calm everyone down. The classroom quickly filled with curious teachers and students, who had heard the scream and run to help. Soon each person had approximately a square foot of ground to call their own. 

  
  


Everything would have turned out all right if only Hermione's third grade teacher, Mrs. Peterson, had not climbed upon Sylvia's desk for space. The desk, being a good thirty-five years old, gave way and Mrs. Peterson fell. She was caught by Mr. Kemper, the physical education teacher. Mr. Kemper tripped on the remains of the desk sending Mrs. Peterson flying into the open paint supplies that were going to be used for a project later that day. After a moment of shock, the paint splattered Mrs. Peterson began tearing after Sylvia and Mrs. Snyder (whom she must have thought responsible for the mess), knocking down the students and teachers in her path, until everyone in the entire room had been sent to the floor. 

  
  


Someone in another part of the building must have thought that someone had caught on fire because at that moment the fire alarm went off. The people who had just arrived tried to hurry back out the door and to their classrooms to evacuate the classes but the room was so packed and the door was so small that it took a good eight minutes to evacuate the classroom. By that time the firefighters had arrived at the school and they rushed inside to put out the nonexistent fire only to be met by a crazed, painted, Mrs. Peterson who startled them so much that the fire hose they had been carrying was accidentally turned on and drenched the hallway. 

  
  


Meanwhile Hermione, who had evacuated quickly like she was supposed to, stood quietly in line outside of the school waiting to be counted for attendance, but she was about the only one doing so. The two kids in front of her were talking excitedly, and the two kids who were suppose to be behind her were talking to some kids in Mr. Perry's fifth grade class. 

  
  


"What do you think it was?"

  
  


"It's got to be a real fire. They wouldn't have a fire drill on the last day of school."

  
  


"I heard that there are blood sucking squirrels in the school!"

  
  


Chad was- where was Chad? Then Hermione spotted him. He was in the process of scaling the side of the school. In his mouth was a stick that she had often seen him carrying around. He was never obvious with it but weird things always seemed to happen when he had that stick. Nothing good happened either. Chad reached the top of the school and raised the stick above his head. Suddenly it started snowing. In June. Everyone gawked at the snow for a minute or so, then Chad raised the stick above his head again and the snow stopped. Hermione stared at him dumbstruck. She was certain that she was the only one who had seen Chad start and stop the snow. She stared as he stuck the piece of wood back into his pocket and scaled back down the building. One thing was certain. Her brother was stranger than anyone gave him credit for.

  
  


Just as Chad rejoined the line of students that Hermione was apart of, Mrs. Snyder, who was still trying to calm down Sylvia, walked past. Hermione heard a snatch of what Sylvia was saying to Mrs. Snyder and the four words her ear intercepted were enough to make her turn green. 

  
  


"It was a frog!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Harry dashed off the bus, then turned back and gave a final bow to his peers who were watching through the window. Hermione followed closely behind, berating him about something to do with a frog. It had been the last day of school and he had gone out with a bang. That summer Harry was turning eleven so Harry assumed that he would be going to Hogwarts hereafter. Sirius had warned him that since no one knew where they were it was unlikely that Harry would start at Hogwarts right away, but what did Sirius know? 

  
  


Mum was waiting at the door for them. "How was your last day of fourth grade?" she asked.

  
  


"Oh, it was great!" Harry replied.

  
  


"You didn't get into any trouble did you?" Asked Mum, "I warned you this morning that if you pulled another prank like the one last week..." Mum trailed off.

  
  


Harry was about to open his mouth to say that he had been a perfect little angel but Hermione was quicker. "He put a frog on Sylvia's back and the firefighters came because someone thought Sylvia had caught on fire and pulled the alarm, and during all the commotion Mrs. Peterson got pushed into the open art supplies." She said in a superior tone.

  
  


"Chad, is this true?" Mum asked. 

  
  


Oh, well, thought Harry. I might as well milk it for all it's worth now. "Ma'm, yes ma'm." he replied in a solder-like tone while bring his hand up to his head as though he was saluting her.

  
  


Mum sighed but there was a slight smile on her face that she was attempting to hide. "I don't 

know what on earth to do with you. You're incurable. Go head on upstairs and put your backpack away then come back downstairs. I've got brownies in the oven."

  
  


Harry clunked up the stairs calling for Sirius. "Orian!" he called, "I'm home!"

  
  


Sirius's Anamagus form came skidding into Harry's bedroom and hopped up on his bed. There was a pop and Harry's Godfather was standing in front of him.

  
  


"How was your last day of school Harry?" Sirius asked with a grin.

  
  


"Two words." Replied Harry with a smile, "Hermione is furious."

  
  


"That's three words."

  
  


"So?" Harry shrugged.

  
  


"And just what did you do to make Miss Hermione so mad, Mr. Potter?" Sirius asked in a fake reporter tone and holding an imaginary microphone in front of Harry.

  
  


"Me?" Said Harry playing along, "When have I ever done anything make anyone mad? I'm a perfect little angel. Everyone knows that."

  
  


The two maunders broke into a fit of laughter. 

  
  


Mum called from downstairs, "Chad! Brownies are ready!"

  
  


"Come on!" Said Harry, "Let's get some brownies. I'll slip you some under the table." 

  
  


"Race you!" Said Sirius. And with a pop Sirius turned into Orian and raced downstairs with Harry at his heals. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Professor McGonagall climbed the stairs of Hogwarts to the top of the highest tower. The hallway was filled with cobwebs as no one ever used the stairway, save herself. Once a year she climbed the stairs to the door with the Hogwarts crest on it. 

  
  


Mivera whispered the password and the door swung open to reveal a bulky book. The book was ages old and as she opened it to the appropriate page large amounts of dust rose into the air. In the pages of the book were written the new students for the year. She took out a quill and began to copy the names down. Some she knew but some she didn't. She continued to copy down the names until she came to one in the P's. Potter. 

  
  


Harry James Potter. 

  
  


Mivera had forgotten that this was the year James and Lily Potter's son was to start at Hogwarts. The only problem was no one knew where he was. Sirius Black was raising him somewhere. It had been made clear many years before that Sirius had not been the Potters secret keeper. Peter Pettigrew had been the one who betrayed them. But no one could find Sirius to tell him that he could live without fear in the Wizarding world. 

  
  


Hogwarts would be a student short this year.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Grangers were sitting down to dinner a few days later. Hermione was going on about the class that she had started that day, something about worms. Or was it snails? Harry wasn't paying attention. Who cared about it anyway? He buttered his croissant and bit into it.

  
  


"As I was saying," said Hermione, "The earthworm is an extremely interesting animal. Did you know that if you cut it in half it will continue to live as two smaller worms? Also, much like the flower, the earthworm has both the male and female parts for reproduction but it still takes two earthworms to reproduce. I find that fascinating."

  
  


"Oh, yes." Harry replied sarcastically. "That's the most exciting thing I've heard all week."

  
  


"You just don't appreciate the usefulness of Biology." Hermione retorted. 

  
  


"Of course I do." Harry said reasonably, "I just don't see what's so exciting about worms. I mean, they're slimy, round, wiggly little things that birds like to eat and taste like chicken."

  
  


"Yuck! Chad Granger that is repulsive! I'm eating!" Hermione was turning a slight shade of green.

  
  


Harry kept going, just a little more and Hermione would be sufficiently grossed out. 

  
  


"Or you know what really tastes good is goldfish. All you do is-" But Harry couldn't continue because Hemione jumped out of her chair and ran from the room. Harry sat back in his chair and smiled. 

  
  


Another job well done. It was almost too easy.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione hurried out of the dining room and to her bedroom. Chad was so disgusting! Absolutely sickening! Where he got his pranks was beyond her. Her parents never encouraged anything like that. Never. 

Hermione plopped down on her bed, laying her head on her pillow. 'Wait a second.' Hermione thought. 'My pillow.' Hermione reached up behind her and felt something creamy and smooth laying on her pillow and covering her hair. She slowly turned around and sure enough there was shaving cream covering her entire pillow from corner to corner. There was a slight imprint where she had laid her head a moment before. Hermione hurried over to the mirror to checked the back of her head. Her bushy hair was covered in shaving cream. 

  
  


Hermione opened her mouth and yelled, "CHAD GRANGER YOU ARE AN INSUFFERABLE PEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

  
  


Chad dashed into her room, followed closely by Hermione's parents.

  
  


"Which trap did you set off?" Chad eagerly.

  
  


Hermione's jaw dropped. "Which trap did I set off? WHICH trap? HOW MANY TRAPS ARE THERE?" Hermione was furious. She rarely let Chad's pranks get to her but she was defiantly mad now.

  
  


"Well," Chad said, ticking each item off on his finger as he thought of it, "There's the trick chair, the shaving cream on your pillow, the cockroach in your desk. The missing lightbulb in your closet, the fake bugs in your shoes, and I think that's about it. No, wait. Didn't you notice your books are missing?"

  
  


"Chad," Hermione said, carefully separating each word. "Get, your, pranks, out, of, my, room, right, now, and, get, back, my, books!" 

  
  


"Well," Chad thought about it, "All right, although I have to say I didn't do too bad for a half hours work."

  
  


Hermione turned to her parents, "Do something with him!" she pleaded.

  
  


Hermione's father was about to open his mouth to say something to Chad when an owl flew in Hermione's window. It was a large tawny owl. The Granger family watched, stunned, as the owl landed on the bed and stuck its leg out to Hermione showing her a piece of paper tied to its leg. Hermione quickly untied the piece of paper from the owl's leg and the owl flew away in the sky. Hermione looked down at the piece of paper and was suprised to discover that it was not just a Piece of paper, but a letter. More specifically a letter addressed to her. The paper of the envelope was an odd type of yellowish parchment and the letter was addressed in green ink. Hermione tore the letter open and looked at the enclosed piece of parchment. It read: 

  
  
  
  


HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Dupreme Mugwump, International Canfed. Of Wizards)

  
  
  
  


Dear Miss Granger, 

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Since you are muggle-born, I will be arriving to explain the Wizarding World to you tommrow.

  
  


Yours sincerely,

  
  


Minerva McGonagall

  
  


Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

  
  
  
  


Hermione gasped and looked up to her parents. "It's a letter to me." she exclaimed, "It says I've been accepted to a Wizarding school called Hogwarts! I don't believe it! Do you think it's real?"

  
  


Hermione's dad came up and looked over the letter. "Hermione, honey, I think this is someone's idea of a joke. I really don't think-"

  
  


"Can't we at least try?" Hermione interrupted, "The letter says they are sending someone tommrow to explain everything. This sounds like such an exciting learning opportunity! A whole new experience!"

  
  


"Hermione-" 

  
  


"Please Dad!?!?"

  
  


"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

  
  


"Thank you Dad! Oh my! This is so exciting! I wonder what you learn in a magical school."

  
  


Hermione's mother said, "Well, congratulations, Hermione. I hope this is true." Hermione watched as her mother's eyes trailed over to Chad who was now staring slack-jawed at her.

"Well," Mother asked, "Aren't you going to congratulate your sister?"

  
  


Chad just scowled. 

  
  


"Chad." Mother reprimanded.

  
  


"Congratulations Hermione." Chad mumbled, and he hurried out of the room.

  
  


Hermione looked around and beamed. She was going to Wizarding school. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius the dog was laying on Harry's bed upstairs in the Granger house when Harry fumed in. Sirius quickly changed into his human form.

  
  


"Guess what?" Harry spat, "Little Miss 'Muggle' Hermione just got a Hogwarts letter."

  
  


"She did?" Sirius responded good natured, "Good for her." When Harry didn't respond he asked unsurely, "It is good for her, right?"

  
  


"Oh, it's great for her. She's thrilled. 'An exciting learning experience' is what she's calling it. The problem is, there's only one owl and one letter and they were both for her."

  
  


"Uh-oh."

  
  


Harry plopped down in a faded blue overstuffed chair in the corner of his room. "I wish I could go to Hogwarts. I mean, all those stories you told me about when you went there makes it sound brilliant."

  
  


Sirius paused a moment to reflect on the current problem. First of all, Harry needed to go to Hogwarts. Sirius had tried to teach Harry as much as he could but there were some things that Harry couldn't learn with just a wand, like Potions and how to fly. Besides there was the whole experience of Hogwarts. The Quiddich games, being around other wizards your own age, visiting Hogsmeade. Oh, why hadn't he gone straight to Dumbledore and told him that Peter had been Lily and James's Secret Keeper? Or better yet, why couldn't he have been their Secret Keeper. He should never suggested Peter. Everything seemed to backfire on him. Sirius wished that for once everything would be simple but it didn't look like that was going to happen. 

  
  


" Sirius?" Harry broke into Sirius's train of thoughts. 

  
  


"Yes Harry." 

  
  


"What's going to happen? Is there anyway I can go to Hogwarts?" 

  
  


Sirius sighed "I don't know Harry. I don't know."


	4. ch 4

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ding Dong! The doorbell at the Granger's house rang. It was the next morning and Hermione had been eagerly awaiting the doorbell as it meant the arrival of the professor. Hermione raced downstairs. After one last check in the mirror to make sure she looked good for the person the Wizarding school was sending, she stood up tall and opened the door. Hermione groaned. It was some of Chad's friends'. Hermione let her perfect posture drop.

  
  


"Is Chad here? We're playing football (Americanese: Soccer) in the park and we want to see if he can come."

  
  


"CHAD!" Hermione called.

  
  


Chad thundered down the stairs with Orian at his heals. "Yes?"

  
  


"Your friends are here. Go play with them." Hermione didn't need Chad at the house on this particular momentous day.

  
  


"I was going to stay here today."

  
  


"No you don't! You may ruin a lot of things but you're NOT ruining my interview!"

  
  


"It's not an interview! They're just coming to get you!"

  
  


"How would you know? You're not a wizard!"

Chad opened his mouth to say something and then shut it. Orian whined.

  
  


"Now go." Just get out of here! Hermione thought. She could arrive any minute!

  
  


"I'm staying here."

  
  


"MUM!!!! DAD!!!!" Hermione called. "Chad won't leave! He's going to destroy my interview! I know it!"

  
  


Mrs. Granger appeared in the entry hall "Now Chad, go and play with your friends. This means a lot to your sister and I'll not have you ruin it."

  
  


"But-" Chad was cut off by Mrs. Granger.

  
  


"Now."

  
  


Chad shot a last glare at Hermione and stalked out of the house. Orian stayed in the doorway of the house.

  
  


"And take your dog with you!"

  
  


"Come on Orian." Chad mumbled and Orian slunk behind him. 

  
  


Satisfied, Hermione shut the door.

  
  


Barely 10 minutes went by when the doorbell rang once again. Once again Hermione sped into the hallway, straightened herself up in the mirror and opened the door. 

  
  


Standing in the doorway was a tall, stern-looking lady with black hair, glasses and the most peculiar cloak-like clothing with something resembling a cape on her back. 

  
  


For a moment Hermione stared up at her taking in all of her features. Then, realizing she was gawking she shook herself back into focus and timidly said "Hello."

  
  


The lady surveyed Hermione for a moment from over the rim of her glasses then cleared her throat and started speaking. "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I am looking for a Miss Hermione Granger. Would that be you?"

  
  


Hermione nodded slowly, still entranced by the lady before her. "Please, come in."

  
  


The professor entered the hallway and removed the cape-like object. Hermione could now see that the cloak she had on was the color of indigo. Hermione led her to the living room as butterflies began to form in her stomach. The professor contemplated the living room's appearance as she entered, noticing all of the details with her cat-like eyes. 

  
  


"Would you like anything to drink?" Asked Hermione, unsure of what to do. Despite all of the books she had read about how to behave with guests, this new guest made her self-conscious.

  
  


"No, thank you. Are your parents here?"

  
  


Of course! That's what she should have done! She ought to have had her parents seated in the living room when the doorbell rang. How embarrassing! 

  
  


"I'll go fetch them right away." Oh, why did she just say that? 'Fetch' was for dogs not for parents! Hermione left the living room quickly to get her mum and dad. They were seated in the kitchen sipping tea.

  
  


"Mum! Dad! The Professor's here! She wants to speak with you!" 

  
  


"All right, we'll be there in a minute."

  
  


"No, please come straightaway."

  
  


Her father smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Why, I do believe, Miss Hermione's nervous."

  
  


"Please Dad. Don't make fun. I just so want to go to this school and I don't want to make a bad impression."

  
  


"All right we'll come now."

  
  


"Don't forget, her name is Professor McGonagall."

  
  


"Don't worry! It will be fine."

  
  


Hermione almost pulled them into the living room. 

  
  


As they sat, Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger shook the Professor's hand.

  
  


"Hello," said Hermione's dad. "Our Hermione is rather excited about the idea of going to this school of yours. However, before yesterday, I am afraid to say that I had never heard of witches and wizards except for in the imaginary sense. I know absolutely nothing about your school. Is this real and do you think you could explain it to me?"

  
  


"Certainly." Professor McGonagall said. "The Wizarding world is most defiantly real. Unbeknownst to the world you live in there is another world. The Magical World. We have a government and towns. We have stores, a bank and schools, just like your world. However, that is where the similarities end. In the Magical World there is one vital item that changes everything. That is the wizard's wand. A wand is the channel of the wizard's magical energy. With a wand a wizard can preform magic. That is what your daughter will be learning if she elects to attend Hogwarts. We have many subjects. I teach Transfiguration. There is also Herbology, Flying, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms and Astrology. In your third year you are able to choose from several other elective subjects. Two are required. There are seven years of schooling at Hogwarts and during those years you will be placed in a House. There are four Houses at Hogwarts. Gryffindor is for the brave, Hufflepuff is for the quick-witted, Ravenclaw is for the clever and Slytherin is for the cunning. Each house is named after one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Do you have any questions?" 

Throughout the professor's explanation Hermione listened aptly, entranced by the professor's description. Now she was left in awe. This was the world she would belong to. It was superior to anything she had fantasized. Her mother's words tore her form her euphoria.

  
  


"I have two questions. First of all, in your letter you mentioned that Hermione was 'muggle-born', what did that mean? Secondly, do you think you could show us some of the magic you were talking about?"

  
  


"Muggle-born means that she was not born to magical parents. That is not anything bad, it is just a distinction that is made. Also, yes I can show you some magic. What would you like to see?"

  
  


"Well, what is there?"

  
  


"I could transfigure your table into a pig."

  
  


"You can?" Hermione's mother raised her eyebrows, "I suppose that is all right. Anything is fine. Well, so long as I get my table back. I'm just wondering what it is like."

Hermione watched as Professor McGonagall took out a stick that Hermione assumed was a wand, held it up and whispered a few words. The tea table transfigured, into a pig. Hermione goggled at the pig. It was about as large as a bath tube, rosy pink, and had a spiral tail. It's beady black eyes' search out Hermione and it grunted. Hermione's jaw dropped. Professor McGonagall again raised her wand and murmured a few unheard words and the pig became a tea table again complete with lace and flowers in the center.

Hermione's eyes widened.

  
  


"Now, if you are still interested, I will take you to get your school things."

  
  


Unable to speak, Hermione nodded yes.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry kicked the football as hard as he could. It flew up in the air and landed on the other side of a large fence. 

  
  


"Not again!" moaned Andrew, a friend of Harry's. "That's the third time you've kicked it out of the park, Chad. What's the matter with you? You usually have perfect control over the ball."

  
  


"Nothing." replied Harry. He couldn't tell Andrew. Andrew didn't know anything about the Wizarding world.

"Come on! What's wrong?"

  
  


Well, maybe if he told him only parts of it... "Hermione got accepted at a school."

  
  


"What's new?" Andrew rolled his eyes. "Is that what you're worried about?"

  
  


"I've wanted to go there forever. It's like-"

  
  


"You? You've wanted to go to a school forever? You're joking right? Because I've never known you to care whether or not you pass of fail anything, even though you always do good."

  
  


"Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

  
  


"I probably wouldn't. You're not making any sense Chad."

  
  


"Forget about it. Let's go and get the ball. I'm going home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

When Sirius and Harry returned home the house was empty. Sirius followed Harry into the den. There, Sirius and Harry went on the computer until the door downstairs banged open. Hermione almost flew into the room and Sirius barely had time to change into his canine form.

  
  


"Chad! It was the absolute best place in the world! Magic is amazing! I'm going to love Hogwarts! I purchased my school books and a few others so I can learn all about it!" 

  
  


"That's great." replied Harry without enthusiasm. 

  
  


"Look at these books! The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1), Quiddich Through the Ages, Magical Drafts and Potions, Magical Theory, Modern Magical History, A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration, All About the Wizarding World, One Thousand Magical Spores and Fungi, Hogwarts, A History, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Protection, A History of Magic, I'm going to read them all tonight!"

"Have fun." replied Harry with the same flat tone.

  
  


"Well I'm going to go start reading! I've got to learn all about the magical world!" Hermione bounced out of the room.

  
  


Harry looked down at Sirius, "Did she have to flaunt it in my face?"

  
  


Sirius changed back into his human form, "She doesn't know any better."

  
  


"So now you're taking HER side? I thought you'd agree with me. But, no. Everyone's against me. Everyone's against me and it's all your fault!" Harry stormed out of the den and into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Sirius sighed. Harry was right, Sirius thought. It was all his fault. But there was nothing he could do. Sirius was miserable. He couldn't go to the Wizarding world, he'd probably be killed before he could say 'I didn't do it' and Harry couldn't go to Hogwarts it he didn't alert the Wizarding world of his whereabouts. It was a Catch 22. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Professor Mivera McGonagall entered the teacher's lounge at Hogwarts. She softly chuckled to herself, an action she allowed herself rarely. That Miss Granger girl was something else. Mivera had never seen someone so eager to learn. Well, maybe Lily Potter. The former Head Girl had always been slightly obsessed with her schooling. Speaking of the Potters, Mivera could have sworn she had seen a picture of James Potter at Miss Granger's house, but that would be impossible. Miss Granger had also been the photo and James had looked about her age. There was no possible way James Potter could have been in the picture because he, unfortunately, was dead. 

  
  


"Mivera McGonagall." 

  
  


Mivera jumped and turned to find Albus Dumbledore behind her. "Oh, hello Albus."

  
  


"What are you doing here? You do realize that its summer vacation, don't you?"

  
  


"I just finished visiting a muggle-born first year. She seems like quite an overachiever. Very eager to learn. Her names Hermione Granger."

  
  


Dumbledore's eye's twinkled, "I must say, we don't get many of those here. Eager students, I mean. How would you describe her? Where would you place her if you were the sorting hat?"

  
  


"Ravenclaw, maybe? I really couldn't tell. My mind was on other things." She sighed.

  
  


"Is there anything wrong?"

  
  


"I could have sworn I saw a picture of James Potter at Miss Granger's house." 

  
  


"Peculiar. Most peculiar." 


	5. ch 5

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Hermione sat at her desk in her bedroom reading through the pages of The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. So far she had learned all about the dark wizard Grindewald and his rise and fall of power. Presently she was reading about another dark wizard. His name was not mentioned in the book at all, save the reference to him being called 'You-Know-Who'. Hermione was fascinated. Apparently You-Know-Who only feared one other wizard who had previously defeated Grindewald. His name was Albus Dumbledore and he was Headmaster of the school Hermione was about to attend. Hermione's eyes raced down the page as she absorbed the information like a sponge. Suddenly an excerpt caught her attention:

You-Know-Who's power flourished, and would probably have proceeded to do so was it not for an astounding event. On October 31, 1981, You-Know-Who attacked James and Lily Potter, and their infant son Harry. The Potters were loyal supporters of Dumbledore and had been informed that they were to be sought after by You-Know-Who. Using the Fidilus charm (see page 74) they went into hiding. Their first choice for Secret-Keeper was Sirius Black, a close friend of the Potters and young Harry's godfather. For some reason that is unknown to the Wizarding world, he was replaced by Peter Pettigrew another friend of the Potters. Unbeknownst to the Potters, Pettigrew was a spy for You-Know-Who and immediately passed on their hiding place to him. You-Know-Who murdered both Lily and James Potter, but when You-Know-Who tried to kill baby Harry something failed. The curse reflected, causing You-Know-Who to vanish. It is rumored that this failed curse left a lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Shortly after the attack, Sirius Black (thinking, no doubt, that he would be accused of betraying the Potters since he had been the original Secret-Keeper) took Harry and disappeared. No one knows where they went. 

  
  


A baby! Thought Hermione. A baby destroyed a dark wizard that no one else could stop! What kind of world was she getting herself into?

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irene Granger finished setting the table and called upstairs that dinner was ready. Six feet thundered down the stairs and Chad (two feet) and his dog Orian (four feet) zipped into the kitchen. Chad was still wearing the scowl that had been on his face since Hermione had got her Wizarding letter. He flopped into his chair crossed his arms and continued to glower. Then, much slower then the first six feet, two other feet ascended the stairs slowly. It was Hermione, her face and bushy hair covered by the enormous book she was reading. Irene glanced at the title and found it to read Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. It was most certainly unlike the previous books Hermione had consumed. 

  
  


"Hermione, dear." Said Daniel, Irene's husband who had just entered from the living room doorway. "Do you think you could possibly put your book down for dinner? This is the last dinner we'll have together before you go away to Hogwarts and I would rather not spend it with your nose in a book."

  
  


If it was possibly, Chad's scowl deepened at the word Hogwarts.

  
  


"All right," replied Hermione reluctantly. "I was just getting to a good part though."

  
  


Irene let a small smile come across her face as she passed Chad the mashed potatoes, "You're always at a good part."

  
  


"I guess that's so. I just want to be prepared. This is a whole new world that I'm going to be part of." 

  
  


"You'll be fine. Professor McGonagall said that many students come from muggle families, didn't she?" 

  
  


"Yes."

  
  


"Don't worry."

  
  


Daniel glanced at the book, "What, pray tell, was the 'good part' you were on this time."

  
  


Eagerly Hermione responded, "I've read about it before in a few other books, it seems really well know and so I want to learn as much as possible about it so I don't fall behind. There was a really evil wizard several years back. I don't know his name, all the books call him 'You-Know-Who', but he was really evil and feared by almost everyone. He had murdered a lot of people and no one seemed able to stop him and his followers. Then he attacked a couple named Lily and James Potter. Both of them died but some how their baby son Harry survived! Not only that but somehow the curse rebounded and hit the evil wizard and he disappeared! No one's seen him since! Can you imagine, a baby was able to kill a wizard that no one else could!"

  
  


"That's quite something." Replied Irene, but her eyes strayed to Chad. The scowl had gone from his face, only to be replaced by a look of dismay. He also looked rather queasy. "Are you all right, Chad?" She asked him. He didn't respond. "Chad?"

  
  


"I'm fine." Chad replied raspily, all though his face clearly gave away that he wasn't fine at all.

  
  


"Are you sure? You look sick." 

  
  


"I'm fine." Chad repeated. He turned to Hermione, "Do those books have anything about what happened to Ha- the baby?"

  
  


Hermione gave him a suspicious look, "Yes, It says that he disappeared along with his godfather, Sirius Black. Why? You have never cared about anything I say before."

  
  


"Just curious." Chad's voice quivered slightly. "May I please be excused?"

  
  


Irene nodded, "I think that might be a good idea. Do you want anything?"

  
  


"No thanks." With that Chad hastened out of the room. 

  
  


"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.

  
  


Bewildered Daniel shook his head, "I have no idea."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

  
  


The next morning Hermione stood in front of the wall between Platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross Train Station. Professor McGonagall had explained exactly how to enter Platform 9 and 3/4, but Hermione was still nervous. She didn't know if she could walk through the wall. It looked awfully solid. If it did what it was supposed to then it mirrored her own feelings. Up until now she had been eagerly awaiting Hogwarts. She had acted solid then but now she felt transparent. It was as though her nervousness was being projected for all to see. She turned back to appeal to her parents.

  
  


"I can't do this! I don't know anything!" 

  
  


"Now, Hermione dear." Hermione's mum comforted. "You'll do just fine. You've been studying hard so don't you worry about not knowing anything. You'll fit in just fine at Hogwarts." 

  
  


Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself and turned back to the solid wall that wasn't. She clenched her trunk tightly and began walking toward the wall. Carefully she stepped through the wall. As she did a new setting appeared before her. It was Platform 9 and 3/4. 

  
  


Suddenly Hermione realized that the piece of her that had felt missing a few moments ago was not missing anymore. She felt complete. This was where she belonged and she would learn everything there was to know about this strange new world.

  
  


As Hermione boarded the train, the first thought that crossed her mind was, 'I wonder if Hogwarts has a library?'

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Author's Note: I have puzzled over how to make this part interesting for 6 months (yes, 6 months) however, my muse likes to play tricks on me and has given me no inspiration (blame it all on the muse!), so I finally gave up and I'm excluding it. 

  
  


To sum it up, Hermione goes to Hogwarts and everything that happens is exactly the same as the first book, only there is no Harry at Hogwarts. Hermione is sorted into Gryffindor. Everyone is sorted into the same houses as they are in the first book. The Sorcerer's Stone might be at Hogwarts but I'm not going to focus on it. Quirrel is NOT there, instead Mundungus Fletcher (doesn't really matter who, it's the first name I thought of) is temporary Defense teacher until someone else is found. Neville's parents aren't at St. Mungo's. If you don't know why, look back in the story. Oh, and Ron doesn't have Scabbers. 

  
  


Now let's proceed forward.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Harry was in the garage experimenting. So far he had mixed cranberry juice, milk, dog biscuits (compliments of Sirius), gasoline, painkiller and soda into a small metal tub. The hope was that with these substitute potion ingredients and a spell Sirius had taught him, he would be able to concoct a Pepper-Up Potion. Of course, Sirius had told him not to actually try to make the potion, but Sirius couldn't stop Harry. Sirius had to play dog. 

  
  


All the ingredients were in, now for the spell.

  
  


"Cimplious!" Harry cried. 

  
  


The ingredients burst into flame. 

  
  


"That wasn't supposed to happen." Harry muttered as he fled the garage. "Maybe I used too many substitutes." 

  
  


As soon as Harry was out of range there was a large boom and the garage crumpled.

  
  


Whoops.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


It was the afternoon of Halloween and Remus was resting his eyes on a Muggle train, following a tip that Dumbledore had given to him as to where Sirius and Harry might be. Remus had devoted the last ten years to searching all of the families in England that contained a father and son because he figures that Sirius would want to raise Harry himself and that seemed a logical way of 

doing it. But, over a thousand houses later, Remus still had no success. He really hoped he would have success with his trip today.

  
  


The train was slowing down and Remus opened his eyes. Edinburgh; There was a great castle there but it wasn't where Remus was going. The door opened and the passengers came on. There were a few businessmen in gray suits, an old lady in a gray shawl, a boy about ten who had a red ballcap pulled down over his eyes, and the boy's mother. The boy came over and sat down across from Remus. His mother stood. There was something indescribable about the boy that kept drawing Remus's eye back to him. Perhaps it was the fact that he was complaining loudly. Remus glanced at the boy once again. No, it was something else. 

  
  


"Come on Mum! Hermione's at Hogwarts and what do I get? I get to stay home and do nothing!"

  
  


"I hardly count blowing up the garage as 'nothing'." The boy's mom replied "If you would recall, that is what brought about our little trip today."

  
  


"Aww, Mum! I didn't blow up the WHOLE garage!"

  
  


Remus listened closer. The boy's mention of Hogwarts and the apparent attempt to blow something up reminded him of the Marauders. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. Pranksters' extrodinare. 

  
  


"Close to it. We are going to have to completely rebuild it. You're lucky the car wasn't in the garage when it happened or you would be in even more trouble than you already are. I don't know where you get your ideas from. Your father and I never taught you anything like that. You should try to be more like Hermione."

  
  


The boy looked revolted at the idea, "Hermione's a teacher's pet. I don't want to be like that. I'd much rather break rules, I mean, why are rules there if not to break them? Besides Hermione's at Hogwarts. I still don't see why I can't go."

  
  


Remus interrupted the conversation, "Excuse me, did you say Hogwarts?"

  
  


"What?" Asked the boy's mother stiffly, color fading from her cheeks. 

  
  


"It's all right, Mrs. Umm..."

  
  


"Granger."

  
  


"Mrs. Granger, I know all about Hogwarts. I went there for a good seven years of my life."

  
  


The boy edged away.

  
  


"Oh, I'm sorry," Mrs. Granger replied, "I'm just so used to being discreet about it and not telling anyone. I didn't know."

  
  


"It's all right, I completely understand. So, you have a daughter who attends Hogwarts?"

  
  


"Yes, Hermione Granger."

  
  


"Ahh, I've heard the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, speak of her before. I understand she's an excellent student, but she keeps to her studies. She doesn't enjoy socializing a lot."

  
  


The boy muttered, "Typical Hermione." 

  
  


Remus turned his attention to the boy, "And what's your name?" He asked.

  
  


"Chad."

  
  


The train was slowing down to stop at the next station.

  
  


"You are Hermione's brother then?"

  
  


"Yes."

  
  


"And you want to go to Hogwarts also?"

  
  


The boy shrugged "I guess."

  
  


Getting the boy to answer was like pulling teeth.

  
  


The train stopped and the doors opened. 

  
  


"I don't blame you. I remember when I was at Hogwarts. It was the best time of my life. It was there I made my first real friends. They accepted me for who I was. We were in Gryffindor, like your sister is. James, Sirius, Lily, Peter and me. We were-" Remus broke off his reminiscing as the boy looked up and Remus saw for the first time the boy's eyes. The boy's eyes were panic filled and green. A shade of green that Remus had only seen once before in his life. They were Lily's eyes, Remus realized. This was Harry! 

  
  


"Harry?!?! What-" Remus began.

  
  


But it was too late. The boy stood and fled the train. The door closed right behind the boy, and the train started up again trapping Remus and Mrs. Granger inside. Remus watched as the boy fled the train station. He slammed his hand on the glass of the train's window. He had been so close! So close... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Harry ran from the train station as fast as his legs would carry him. He had to warn Sirius! He figured that the train was heading away from where he lived in Edinburgh. If he got a taxi he could get back home and warn Sirius before Remus Lupin and his mom got home. As soon as he got out of the station he started calling the taxi. In a matter of minutes he had waved one down and he sped back home. The taxi pulled up in front of his house. Harry payed the driver with the money he had brought with him to help pay for the cost of fixing the garage. He ran into the house calling. 

  
  


"Orian! Orian! Where are you?!?!?"

  
  


Sirius came bounding up. One minute Harry had a big black dog sitting in front of him, the next minute Harry's godfather stood in front of him.

  
  


"Harry? What's wrong?"

  
  


"Sirius! Remus, is on his way here! Mum and I ran into him on the train and he recognized me! And I ran away and he's on his way here and you can't go to Azkaban! You have to get out of here!"

  
  


"All right Harry, calm down. We still have a little time."

  
  


"I'm coming with you!"

  
  


"Harry don't be silly, now you'll finally get to go to Hogwarts. Isn't that what you wanted?"

  
  


"No, I want to come with you!"

  
  


"No, Harry, you wanted this. Even if it isn't what you want, I want you to go to Hogwarts. Hermione is at Hogwarts and now you can go. Besides, your parents would want you to get your education and find all the secret passageways. It would be to dangerous living with me. You have a good life here with people who care for you."

  
  


"I don't care. I want to come with you."

  
  


"Don't be absurd Harry. You need to go to Hogwarts and learn to be a wizard. You have to stay here." When Harry appeared unmoved by Sirius's request Sirius sighed, "Listen, You get yourself an owl and I'll write you every day. I'll come visit you here when you are on vacation and I'll spend all my time looking for Peter" Sirius spat his name out bitterly, "so I can clear my name and come see you whenever you want, but you have to go to Hogwarts. Harry, this is your chance."

Harry just stared at Sirius.

  
  


"You stay here Harry. You belong in the magical world, not the Muggle world. I promise I'll write you as soon as I can." And with a last hug, Sirius turned into a dog and left.

  
  


Harry watched the dog till he disappeared down the street. Then he wandered up to his room and sat down on his bed. He looked around his room. Everything seemed to be in place, but Harry knew something was missing and that something was a big, black dog. Harry felt so alone without his godfather with him. What was he supposed to do now? Wait around for Remus Lupin and his Mom to show up? 

Suddenly Harry's eyes landed on his desk. Sirius's wand lay across the desk. Sirius was going to search for Peter and he didn't even have his wand! As though he had planned it all along Harry jumped up and grabbed the wand. He searched around his room for a bag and he began to pack a few of his things. When he was packed, he raced down the stairs and out the backdoor to find Sirius and give him his wand.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remus and Mrs. Granger burst into the Granger's household. 

  
  


"Harry!" Remus called, "Where are you? It's okay to come out! I'm just here to help!"

  
  


"Chad! Why did you have to run off like that?" Mrs. Granger raced upstairs searching for Harry. Remus watched as she stopped and turned around. "Something's not right." She said.

  
  


"What is it?" Remus asked.

  
  


"It's Orian. He's not here." 

  
  


"Who?"

  
  


"Orian, our dog. He always comes to the door as soon as it opens. He's not here."

  
  


"Your dog?" Remus started. Things didn't look good. "He doesn't happen to be big, black and shabby?"

  
  


"Yes."

  
  


"Does he like to play tricks on people?"

  
  


"Yes." Mrs. Granger's face furrowed in confusion. "Why?"

  
  


"Well, you see, he isn't a dog." 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry raced away from the Granger house as fast as he could. He scanned the streets for the big black dog who was Sirius but Sirius had made good time and wasn't to be seen. Harry passed young children and their parents who had just started their trick or treating. The children were dressed up in cute little costumes. Most of the girls were princesses, while the boys were dressed as pirates. Harry even saw a few warty witches. 

  
  


'Muggles,' Harry thought as he ran, 'they just don't get it.' 

  
  


The sky began to grow darker and the older children came out. Most entered one of the houses lining the streets where the lights were lit dimly to give to parties inside a creepy effect. A few of the kids got out egg cartons and started throwing them at the closest house. Where there wasn't a treat, there was a trick. Harry was beginning to get tired and he slowed his pace to a walk.

  
  


It grew even later and the older kids went inside leaving Harry alone outside. The cold October night began to appear and Harry pulled his arms around himself to try to keep warm. He looked at the street sign a few feet away. Colebrook Ave. Harry had never heard of the place. A belltower in the distance chimed midnight. It was official. 

  
  


Harry was lost.


	6. ch 6

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good! Really!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was morning at Hogwarts on the day after Halloween, All-Saints Day, and just as Hermione was sitting down to breakfast the owls flew in. Hermione cut a piece of sausage for herself, popped it into her mouth and consulted her schedule. Tranfiguration was in the morning and Defence Against the Dark Arts was that afternoon. It was an ordinary day at Hogwarts. Well, as ordinary as they came.

  
  


Or was it? 

  
  


Around her fellow students were whispering excitedly as they read their newspapers. Hermione leaned over to the boy sitting across the table from her, a red head named Ron Weasley, and asked, "What's got everyone so excited?"

  
  


"Didn't you hear? They found Harry Potter and then he disappeared again! He was living with some Muggle family in Edinburgh. And then someone found him yesterday, but he ran off again. And now no one knows where he is again."

  
  


"A Muggle family in Edinburgh? What's their name? I live in Edinburgh. Maybe I've met him." The prospect of having met Harry Potter was rather exciting. It's not every day that you get to meet someone who kill an undefeated dark wizard as a baby.

  
  


"Oy! George!" Ron yelled down the table four seats to his older brother, "What's that Muggle family's name? The one that had Harry Potter living with them?"

  
  


George consulted his paper, "Their names' Granger!" He hollered back. 

  
  


Hermione paled.

  
  


"Some relative of yours?" Ron asked eagerly.

  
  


"Harry Granger? Harry Granger? Nope, doesn't ring a bell." Hermione replied. The idea was ludicrous. Yet, unwillingly, her mind began to drift back to the last day of fourth grade in which Chad had used a stick to control the weather. Had that been a wand? And what about that man who had come into her room every night as a baby and told Chad stories? Stories of Witches and Wizards and a place. A place called Hogwarts. He had called Chad, "Harry". Chad couldn't be Harry Potter. Could he? 

  
  


"Oh, he didn't go by Harry with the Muggles." Ron said, "The article said that he went by a different name. What was it again? Charlie? No, that wasn't it. Umm... Chris? No. I know it started with a 'C'. Wait a sec. Now I remember, it was Chad."

  
  


"Chad Granger?" Hermione asked faintly.

  
  


"Do you know him?" Ron asked excitedly.

  
  


Hermione's jaw dropped and she stared at Ron. "Oh my- I- I can't believe it. That's not possible." Hermione was having trouble string words together.

  
  


"Then you know him? Do you know Sirius Black to? Rumor is he's an Animagi."

  
  


"What- What form?" Hermione stumbled over her words.

  
  


"They say he's a big black shaggy dog."

  
  


"What!?!?!?!" Hermione exclaimed.

  
  


"Do you know him also?" Ron asked eagerly.

  
  


This was too much for Hermione. She fainted.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Ron Weasley stared at Hermione Granger who had just collapsed on the floor in front of him.

  
  


"I guess she did know him." Ron muttered.

  
  


Fred and George came running over. 

  
  


"What happened?"

  
  


"What'd you do to her?"

  
  


"I didn't do anything!" Ron cried. "I just told her that Harry Potter's name with the Muggles was Chad Granger and that Sirius Black was a Animagi and she fainted!"

  
  


George pointed his wand at Hermione. "Enverate."

  
  


Hermione sat up. "There is no way that Harry Potter could be Chad!" Hermione declared. She seemed to be trying to convince herself of this more than anything. "No possible way!" 

  
  


Hermione immediately stormed out of the Great Hall in the direction of the Gryffindor Common room. 

  
  


"Absolutely starking mad."Ron proclaimed as he returned to his seat to finish the last of his breakfast.

  
  


"Do you really think she knows Harry Potter though?" asked George.

  
  


"I think we are going to have to play detective and find out." Fred grinned. "And we've got just the tool for that, don't we George?"

  
  


"But I thought we weren't going to tell Ron."

  
  


"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Let's go."

  
  


(A/N: Okay, so it's not desperate times, nor measures. I wanted to include the map. So sue me.)

  
  


Ron, Fred and George hurried up the stairway to Gryffindor tower. On the way they passed Hermione who was walking along whispering to herself. "Harry Potter is not Chad. Harry Potter cannot be Chad."

  
  


"That girl's off her rocker." Ron said to Fred and George once they were out of ear shot of Hermione. "If I were her I would love to know Harry Potter!" 

  
  


Soon the three boys reached the common room. They gave the password to the Fat Lady and climbed in. When they reached Fred and George's dorm room, the twins began to dig through George's trunk. They began tossing out all sorts of things. Dung bombs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, Fizzing Whizbees, Sugar Quills, Ice Mice and Pepper Imps were flying everywhere. 

  
  


Fred hit Ron on the forehead with an Acid Pop. 

  
  


"Fred! That's not funny!" cried Ron.

  
  


"Sure it is. Oh look," said hurriedly Fred, "here it is!" He said this partially because Ron was advancing on him with a dung bomb and partially because he had apparently found the item of his search. He thrust it in front of Ron.

  
  


"Funny." Said Ron flatly, "An old piece of parchment. This is your brilliant plan."

  
  


"This isn't it." Said George, "THIS is it." George took out his wand, placed it on the parchment and whispered "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Where George's wand was touching the parchment, lines spread out in all directions until Ron saw a map of Hogwarts in front of him.

  
  


"Wow! Where'd you get this?" 

  
  


"Finch's office. First year. Now if you look closely, you can see where everyone is in the castle." 

  
  


"This is amazing! Hey look, Hermione's in her dorm now. Should we go and ask her?"

  
  


"Let's go!"

  
  


The three boys thundered over to see Hermione. She was staring at a picture and Ron had looked over shoulder before she noticed them. "You're not allowed in here." Hermione said half heartedly.

  
  


"Who's that?" Ron asked curiously, pointing at the boy with the black messy hair in the picture next to a younger Hermione.

  
  


"Never you mind."

  
  


"Who is it?" Ron persisted.

  
  


"If you must know, it's my pest of a brother. However I am beginning to think that you would rival him in a contest on who is the most annoying. Now go away."

  
  


"What's his name?"

  
  


"Leave."

  
  


"Come on. What's his-"

  
  


"Leave. Do you want me to tell McGonagall that you were here?"

  
  


As if on cue, Professor McGonagall chose that moment to stick her head in the door. 

  
  


"Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore needs to speak to you about-." She cut off as she noticed the three boys in the room. "Misters Weasley, Weasley and Weasley you need to get out of the girl's dormitory now if you don't want me to take points from Gryffindor."

  
  


Ron and his brothers hurried down to the common room. 

  
  


"What is going on around here?" Ron asked.

  
  


George replied. "I think we're about to find out."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A four-legged version of Sirius was wandering through a forest on the outskirts of Edinburgh. He had hated leaving Harry at the Granger's house but he hadn't seen any way around it. Besides, that way Harry could go to Hogwarts. But still, Sirius would miss him. It almost felt like he was Harry's father, that's how close they had become.

  
  


There was the sound of some branches cracking a few trees away. Sirius turned back into his human form and dug into his pocket for his wand. It wasn't there. Unsure of what to do, Sirius backed behind a large tree and transformed into a dog.

  
  


It was Remus Lupin. Sirius watched as he slowly trotted through the forest, obviously searching for something. Or someone. Sirius tried to carefully blend in with the trees to keep his once best friend from finding him but luck was not with him. Due to the need for Sirius to put as much space as possible between himself and the Granger's house Sirius had not taken the time to eat. His stomach growled, causing Remus to turn around and look directly at Sirius. To Sirius's astonishment, Remus smiled.

  
  


"I thought I might find you here." Remus said, "After our escapades in the woods at school you always seemed to have a fondness for it."

  
  


Sirius transformed back into himself and reached behind himself hoping to find a stick that resembled a wand. His hand grazed upon a stick and he pulled it out. "Get away from me Remus! I'm armed."

  
  


"With what?" Remus laughed. "A tree branch?"

  
  


For the first time Sirius looked at the stick he had chosen. It was very twisted and did not resemble a wand in the slightest. "Ummm..." Sirius trailed off unsure of what to do.

  
  


"Relax Sirius. We found out about Peter shortly after you disappeared. Everyone knows that he was James and Lily's secret keeper, not you. I've been looking for you and Harry since we found out." 

  
  


Sirius felt ridiculous. He had been hiding from nothing for ten years! A great weight that Sirius hadn't even realized he had been carrying was lifted off his shoulders. Sirius looked sheepishly at Remus and, before he knew what he was doing, he enveloped Remus in a giant, bone squishing hug.

  
  


"Uf!" moaned Remus "I'm certainly glad to see you too but I'd like to live beyond this moment." 

  
  


"Sorry, it's just..."

  
  


"I understand. It's all right. Now is Harry nearby?"

  
  


"Isn't he with you?" Sirius was concerned. "I told him to stay at the house."

  
  


"When Mrs. Granger and I got there he was nowhere to be found."

  
  


"I told him to stay at the house!"

  
  


"Did you ever do anything an adult told you to?"

  
  


"Good point. We need to find him."

  
  


"And quickly. Peter escaped after his trial. If Harry is unprotected in the Muggle world, who knows what could happen if Peter found him."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Hermione glanced around the Headmaster's office. She noticed the furniture, painstakingly carved to immaculate perfection, and the tidy shelves of books lining the walls. What an interesting read they would make. The desk was clear of all clutter, except for a small stack of papers in the center of the desk. To her left a large, scarlet bird stood on its perch. Hermione took care to notice every detail of the room because, if her plans went right, she would be spending a lot of time here; Not because she was planning on getting into trouble. That would be scandalous. 

  
  


She was planning on being Head Girl.

  
  


It was then that the Headmaster entered. "Ah. Miss Granger. Please sit down."

  
  


Hermione took one of the chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk. "You wanted to see me?" She asked.

  
  


The Headmaster sighed, "I daresay you saw the newspaper this morning?" Hermione nodded. "I can assure you that the Chad Granger the newspapers mentioned is indeed your brother."

  
  


Hermione's last thread of hope that Chad and Harry Potter were not, indeed, the same person shattered. Up until this moment Hermione had been wishing feverishly that she could wave her wand and make reality a rumor. Instead, it appeared that Chad shared her unique talent of witchcraft. Her exceptional and unusual talent. 

  
  


HER gift. 

  
  


Undoubtedly, when Chad was found, he would join her at Hogwarts and proceed to choose her to be the recipient of his many pranks. It would be horrid. The Weasley twins were bad enough alone, but to add Chad Granger... Hermione shuddered at the thought.

  
  


"Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked. "Are you all right? I'm sure this has come to quite a shock to you."

  
  


Hermione shook her head as memories from the past floated through her head. "Not really. I've always noticed that unusual things happened around Chad but I never knew how. All I did today was I found out how Chad accomplished them."

  
  


"Well-" but Dumbledore was cut off by a knock at the door. "Just a moment, Miss Granger. Come in."

  
  


The door opened and two men walked in arguing good-naturedly.

  
  


"Padfoot! If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times! You do not pelt Snape with shampoo bottles!" 

  
  


"But Moony-" 

  
  


"Not even if his hair needs it!" 

  
  


Dumbledore cut in, "I see you two are well caught up already."

  
  


"Moony's been letting me know everything that has been going on." Said 'Padfoot'. "Any news on Harry?"

  
  


"Most unfortunately no. However, we have every non-essential Ministry worker out looking for him."

  
  


"What about the essential ones?" 

  
  


"You know as well as I do that they wouldn't be called essential workers if they could be spared to search."

  
  


'Moony' spoke up, "Where can we look?" 

  
  


It was then that 'Padfoot' noticed Hermione sitting there, "Oh! Hello, Hermione." 

  
  


Hermione stared, wondering how the man knew her name. 

  
  


"What? No big hello?"

  
  


Finally Hermione, brow furrowed, asked. "Who are you?"

  
  


The man laughed. "Of course! You wouldn't recognize me, would you? You might know me better if I looked like this." 

  
  


With that there was a pop and, standing in front of Hermione, where there had formerly been a man there was a big black dog that looked suspiciously like-

  
  


"ORIAN?!?!?!?!?!" Hermione exclaimed. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  
  


Ron slammed shut The Standard Book of Spells (grade 1). Fred and George looked up from their Quiddich tactics.

  
  


"I want to know what's going on!" Ron exclaimed. "I've asked every single teacher and no one will tell me anything! I even tried asking Snape but he just scowled and muttered something about brats being like there parents and shampoo bottles. Doesn't that map of yours do anything else?"

  
  


"Well," replied George, "We could leave the castle and find out what's happening ourselves."

  
  


"That's against the rules. We'd probably get detention until we're 50 if we're caught. Besides Mum would have a fit."

  
  


"Then we just won't get caught. You want to know, don't you?" Fred asked.

  
  


Ron sighed, "All right, when do we start?"

  
  


"That's the spirit! Now just follow us." 

  
  


The three boys hurried out of the common room and down the hall. They stopped in front of a statue of a one-eyed witch. Fred took out his wand and tapped the statue with it while whispering "Dissendium!". The statue stepped aside to reveal a passageway and they hurried down the passageway and the witch closed behind them. 

  
  


"Where does this lead to?" Ron asked.

  
  


"The cellar of Honeydukes. It's great for sneaking out to get sweets and pranks."

  
  


"Where are we going once we get out of Honeydukes?"

  
  


"We'll head for London. If we're going to find out anything, we'll find it there."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Professor Dumbledore was seated at his desk sorting through the countless owls he had received from people searching for Harry Potter. So far they all held little promise. It was then that Professor McGonagall tore, disheveled, into his office. 

  
  


"Albus! I'm afraid we have another problem!"

  
  


"What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked. It was so rare for Mivera to let her stern facade fall that he would have been amused had she not looked so worried.

  
  


"Percy Weasley has just been to see me and his brothers- Fred, George and Ron- Albus! They've disappeared!"

  
  


Albus set his head in his hands exasperated. He had lost four students. Four students in two days. Perhaps it was a new record. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry had managed to find a train to London where he immediately began looking for the Leaky Cauldron. He had given up on finding Sirius and was simply hoping to make contact with the Wizarding world and tell them that Sirius was innocent, but it wasn't an easy task. Sirius had told him everything about the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley except how to get there. Harry had been looking for several hours and he began to grow tired. He entered a small side alley and leaned against the wall. He had shut his eyes for only a moment when he heard a cruel voice.

  
  


"Hello, Harry."

  
  


Harry looked up and noticed a short, balding, man standing before him. Though in his memory he had never seen the man before, he immediately recognized him.

  
  


"Let me introduce myself." sneered the rat faced man. "I am Peter Pettigrew."

  
  


Harry watched furiously as the man who had betrayed his parents pulled out a wand. 

  
  


"It's not mine of course." said Pettigrew. "Any ways, you don't have your own wand and I have a wand so this should be simple."

  
  


'Pettigrew's right,' thought Harry. 'I don't have my OWN wand but that doesn't mean I don't have a wand. In fact, didn't I leave home to give Sirius his wand so he could find Pettigrew? I guess I'll just have to do this myself. Now, what spell?' Harry reached in his pocket and pulled out Sirius's wand.

  
  


"You do have a wand!" Said Pettigrew in suprise. "Well, that's not a big of a problem. Expelliarmus!" Sirius's wand flew out of Harry's hand and into Pettigrew's. "That wasn't that hard was it?"

  
  


Damm.

  
  


It was then that Harry noticed something red on the wall next to him. It was a Muggle fire alarm and next to it was a fire escape. Maybe, just maybe... Slowly Harry reached over.

  
  


What do you think you're doing?" Pettigrew sent a spell at Harry, but Harry ducked and pulled the alarm. 

  
  


"BBBRRRIIIIINNNGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Harry jumped on the escape and started climbing. Spells whizzed around him.

  
  


A few seconds later a shout sounded behind Harry. "Stupify!" Pettigrew fell to the ground, stunned. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  
  
  
  
  


*****I just want to let everyone know that I'm working on two shows right now. Plus school. The next chapter is almost done but I'm out till ten-thirty every night this week. Then I have to do homework. So the next chapter won't be up for a LITTLE while (maybe a week). I'll try to work quickly. Meanwhile you can read my other stuff if you want. My Bio's a story in itself. I've also wrote a poem called "Not A Sorting Hat Song". 

  
  


Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate them!

  
  


Read, Review, and Solemnly Swear You Are Up to No Good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	7. ch 7

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


READ THIS! READ THIS! READ THIS! READ THIS! READ THIS! 

  
  


There has been a lot of muttering from you love-er-ly (sorry, I'm listening to My Fair Lady) reviewers about two things. The name Chad, and Harry's personality. 

  
  


First of all, I didn't pick the name Chad, I simply asked reviewers to give me a name a few (8) months back and that was the first one suggested. It's a little too late to change it since the name is now embedded in my brain and no other name seems to fit. I do understand that it's not a British name. If you want, make up your own name and enter it where you see 'Chad' but I'm not changing it now. 

  
  


Secondly, I completely understand everyone's concern about 'Chad's' personality. I can see where you're coming from. Just remember that he's only acting like he is because he's upset. As though you haven't thrown a fit when something you were wishing for desperately didn't happen. I know I have. I'm sure everyone has. I started the story just as this happens to Harry so this isn't his true personality, just a small part. Remember also, he's been raised differently. Later on in the story you will see a change in his personality that is much more like the Harry we know so let me get there. 

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Ron, Fred and George had been wandering through London trying to get to Diagon Alley (If they entered the Wizarding way their parents would surely find out) when they heard an alarm sound.

  
  


"What's that?" Asked Fred. "Some sort of Muggle thing?"

  
  


"Let's find out." Replied George. 

  
  


The three hurried over toward the sound, which was coming from a nearby alley. The twins took one look at the wizard who was casting every evil spell imaginable and shouted "Stupify!". The wizard collapsed and all the three of them could do was stare at him.

  
  


"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

  
  


Just then a boy jumped down in front of them, startling them all. "Thanks for the help." He said. He hurried over to the stunned man, picked up the wands and cast several immobilizing charms. "We had better get out of here. The Muggle firefighters will be coming soon."

  
  


"The what?" Asked Fred.

  
  


"Just come on!" The four boys hurried down the street, away from the alarm and the stunned wizard just as several red trucks pulled up in front of the building.

  
  


Three blocks later the boys stopped running and began to wander. They were in a small park filled with children and their parents.

  
  


"What was that?" Asked Fred again.

  
  


"Muggle firefighters." Explained the boy. "If there's a fire you pull down one of those red boxes and they come and put out the fire."

  
  


"Why don't they just get water?" Asked Ron.

  
  


"They do, just not the way you're used to. Those trucks are like......Giant wands, that only cast spells for putting out fires."

  
  


"But why don't they just-"

  
  


"I don't know. That's how the Muggles work." It seemed that suddenly the boy realized he was talking to complete strangers. "What are your names?"

  
  


"I'm George Weasley," said George. "That's my brothers, Ron and my twin's Fred. Who are you?"

  
  


The boy shrugged.

  
  


"Well, how old are you?"

  
  


"Eleven."

  
  


"Shouldn't you be going to Hogwarts?" Asked Ron.

  
  


"I should be, but" the boy sighed. "I'm not. I never got my letter."

  
  


Ron gaped. "You never got your letter?!?! The Magic you were doing in the alley back there was really hard! Were you taught at home?"

  
  


The boy nodded, "A friend of my Dad's taught me. Do you go to Hogwarts? Last time I heard they didn't have trips to London."

  
  


"No," Fred leaned over conspiratorially. "We snuck out."

  
  


The boy looked horrified. "You snuck out?!?!"

  
  


George rose his eyebrows, "Of course, if that's a problem with you, we can sneak right back in."

  
  


"Why would you want to leave Hogwarts?!?! I'm trying hard enough to get in!"

  
  


"Hey, we're just trying to figure out what's going on."

  
  


"What do you mean?"

  
  


"Haven't you heard? They found Harry Potter! He was living as a Muggle under the name Chad Granger. It's really strange because we think one of our classmates, Hermione Granger, is related to him but no one would tell us anything!"

  
  


The boy looked dumbfounded. "You snuck out of school just to find Harry Potter?"

  
  


Fred shrugged, "To find out about him any ways. No one will tell us anything!"

  
  


"What do you want to know?" The boy asked.

  
  


"Why? Do you think you can answer?" 

  
  


"I might."

  
  


"All right," Fred decided to test the boy's merit. "Is Harry Potter, also known as Chad Granger, related to Hermione Granger?"

  
  


"Yes, he's her brother."

  
  


"Is it true that Sirius Black is an Anamagi and can turn into a black dog?"

  
  


"Yes, except he's got a small white spot on his back left paw."

  
  


"How do I know you're not making this up?"

  
  


"You don't. Can we talk about something else?"

  
  


"Like what?"

  
  


"Quidditch?"

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Mundungus Fletcher scuffled through the halls of St. Mary's Hospital. He was hidden beneath an invisibility cloak borrowed from Dumbledore so he had to be careful not to let anyone run into him. Mundungus had been the 'lucky' person assigned to search the hospitals for the missing Harry Potter. It was his fourth hospital and Mundungus was certain that by the time he was finished with his task he would have contracted every communicable disease known to man and would have to endure a sunny week in the Hogwarts hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey. 

  
  


"Get him into room B-43 and get a respirator on him stat." 

  
  


"Who is it?"

  
  


"We don't know. He was found in an alley where a false fire alarm was pulled."

  
  


Three doctors were wheeling a man down the halls. It most certainly wasn't Harry, but there was an air of familiarity about the man so Mundungus followed the doctors into room B-43.

  
  


"I've never seen anything like it." One of the doctors commented as he examined the patient. "He's breathing by himself yet he's not moving an inch. The only thing I can find wrong with him is that he can't move. His pulse is normal; His eyes are moving fine; He's just stiff as a board. It's almost like....Magic."

  
  


Mundungus tried to get closer so he could see the man, but the doctors blocked his way.

  
  


"I'd like to consult Dr. Fordin about this. I don't think the patient is going anywhere so if everyone could clear out..."

  
  


A few moments later the room was empty of all except the man and Mundungus. Mundungus hurried over to the man to get a good look. The man had aged, yet Mundungus would have recognized the man anywhere.

  
  


It was Peter Pettigrew.

  
  


Mundungus took out the portkey that Dumbledore had given and, with a firm grasp on Pettigrew, activated it. They landed in the Headmaster's office where Professor Dumbledore was seated at his desk talking to Sirius Black. 

  
  


"Mundungus, what a suprise." said the Headmaster pleasantly. He indicated to Pettigrew. "Who is that?"

  
  


Mundungus approached Sirius, "Just what did you teach that kid of yours, Sirius?!?!"

  
  


"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

  
  


"Magic. How much magic did you teach Harry?"

  
  


"Just a few spells-"

  
  


"A FEW?!?!"

  
  


"Okay, more than a few." Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "He was always wanting to learn more spells for pranks and I didn't see any point in telling him no. Why do you ask?"

  
  


"Do you see that man over there?" Mundungus indicated to Pettigrew. "That is Peter Pettigrew."

  
  


"Pettigrew?!?!" Exclaimed Dumbledore. At the same time Sirius growled, "That murdering traitor!"

  
  


"I found him in a hospital." Mundungus continued. "He is stunned, including some complicated guarding charms to prevent him from breaking the stunner's spell."

  
  


"Who-"

  
  


"I'm fairly sure this is Harry's doing and if this is ANY indication of Harry's magical abilities then he is already at a fourth or fifth year level in his magical schooling."

  
  


After staring, stunned, at Sirius for a moment Dumbledore held his hand out for Sirius to shake. Dazed, Sirius took it.

  
  


"Congratulations Sirius, you have just been hired to teach at Hogwarts. We need a new Defense teacher."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry was enjoying his time with the three Weasley boys. It was the first time he had ever talked to any Wizards his age and he was finding out that, despite Sirius's elaborate descriptions, he didn't know nearly as much about the Wizarding world as he thought he did. 

  
  


Sirius was great but he was... Well, he was Sirius. Despite the fact that he acted like a kid a lot of the time, Sirius was still an adult. He did, on occasion, tell Harry off for doing something he shouldn't have. (Although, whenever this happened Harry would point out that Sirius did the exact same thing when he was in school and Harry had gotten the idea from Sirius.) 

  
  


Any ways, it was great to have someone to talk to about the Wizarding world besides Sirius. So far they had talked about Quidditch, Hogwarts, the Weasley's family (mainly Percy the Perfect) and pranks. At the moment, Harry was giving the Weasleys another class in Muggle 101. 

  
  


"No, it's not a pheletone, it's a telephone."

  
  


"And how do you use it again?" Asked Ron for the umpteenth time.

  
  


"You just dial the number and talk into it."

  
  


"But how can the person hear you?"

  
  


"I give up!" Harry exclaimed. "Let's talk about something else."

  
  


After a brief silence George spoke up. "I've got a question for you. Who was that man in the alley back there? You know, the one who was trying to kill you?"

  
  


"No one important." Harry waved off the question. It had been horrible leaving Pettigrew in the alley, but it was either that or getting brought to the police station for pulling a false fire alarm, having to explain why he was carrying around a stick (his wand), and getting separated from Pettigrew any ways when he was sent to the hospital for not being able to move. So Pettigrew, Harry's only proof of Sirius's innocents, stayed in the alley. 

  
  


"Don't give me that." George shook his head. "That man was trying to kill you! Who was it?"

  
  


Harry sighed, He really didn't want to go into this right now. "An old family friend, turned foe. He betrayed my parents and they died because of it."

  
  


"Oh, sorry."

  
  


Harry thought that was the end of the conversation. He was wrong.

  
  


"What was his name?" Asked Fred.

"Excuse me?"

  
  


"The man, who betrayed your parents. What was his name?"

  
  


Harry saw where this was leading. 

  
  


"Peter Pettigrew. Why?"

  
  


"Peter Pettigrew?" asked Fred. "Didn't he betray the Potters to You-Know-Who?"

  
  


At this Harry stared.

  
  


"Everyone knows that." George replied.

  
  


'Everyone?' Harry asked himself.

  
  


"Did he betray someone else also?" That was Ron.

  
  


"I haven't heard of anyone. Have you?" George appealed to Fred.

  
  


"Nope." Said Fred. "Must be top secret."

  
  


Harry cut in. "Hold it, Fred. Repeat that."

  
  


"What?" Asked Fred. "'Must be top secret'?"

  
  


"No, before that."

  
  


"Oh, that everyone knows that Pettigrew betrayed the Potters to You-Know-Who?"

  
  


"Yeah, that." Harry had heard right. What this might mean to Sirius and him; Harry couldn't even begin to think. 

  
  


"You didn't know that?"

  
  


Harry shook his head. "No, I didn't."

  
  


"You're really out of the loop, aren't you?" A thought then struck Fred. His eyes lit up and Harry could almost see a light bulb flicker on and the wheels begin to grind. "What's your name again?"

  
  


Harry ignored the question. "I thought that almost no one knew about that. How did everyone fine out?"

  
  


Fred grinned, "I'll tell you. IF you tell us your name."

  
  


Harry groaned inwardly. Sirius had explained exactly what had happened that Halloween when Harry was a baby. He had also given Harry a pretty good idea as to what would happen if he told a wizard or witch his name. Harry didn't like the idea, but now was as good a time to find out if Sirius was right as any time. 

  
  


"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." Three pairs of stunned eyes bore into Harry. Harry sighed. Sirius had been right. 

  
  


Unfortunately. 

  
  


"You're Harry Potter?!?!"

  
  


"THE Harry Potter?!?!"

  
  


"The Harry Potter that has the Ministry running all over the country?!?!"

  
  


Once again, Harry sighed. This was going to take a while. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


*****Well, that's it for this post. Not as good as my other chapters but at least you've got something. Also, no big cliffie's (In case you haven't noticed, I like cliffies, more scope for my imagination). I haven't started my next chapter yet so if you have some ideas please e-mail me I need them (You can also e-mail me even if you don't have ideas. HINT, HINT!) I don't have much planned for the next chapter so it should be a little while before the next chapter is posted. I'm not sure how long but it won't be too long (a week, maybe a little more). 

  
  


Read, Review and Solemnly Swear You Are Up To No Good!

(Thanks to everyone who reviews!)


	8. ch 8

What If?By Spunky

Summary: What would have happened if Hagrid had given Harry to Sirius that fateful Halloween night? Misunderstandings, pranks and a very mad Hermione.

  
  


Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing Fanfiction? None of this belongs to me so everyone else can battle it out arguing that it's theirs. Let me know who wins. 

  
  


Author's Note: Let it be known that the characters in this story are alternate universe characters. They will behave differently then they do in the books because they have lived their lives differently. However if they act differently, reasons will be give for their change in behavior. They are not Out of Character (OOC) in this story because the situation is different. I have done my best to make the behavior changes realistic. Everything up to when the Potters are killed is the same as is described in the books.

  
  


Yes, I know that I said that it would be a little less than a week till this chapter came out. But it hasn't been. To sum it up, I've been lazy. This may or may not be the last chapter I post but It's pretty self explanatory from here on. 

  
  


I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Ron stared wide eyed at the boy- no, Harry Potter- standing in front of him. "You're HARRY POTTER?!?!" 

  
  


Harry sighed, "Why is that such a big deal?"

  
  


"This is amazing!" proclaimed George, "The ministry is looking everywhere for you and WE found you! I mean, you defeated You-Know-Who!"

  
  


There was a long pause. In which there was a lot of staring.

  
  


"So, what do we do now?" asked Harry abruptly.

  
  


"Excuse me?"

  
  


"We are stuck in the Muggle World. Do you know how to get back to Hogwarts?"

  
  


Fred crimped, "Well, we didn't quite plan that far ahead. But I guess we can just go back the way we came."

  
  


"Lead the way, oh great navigator Fred!" proclaimed George.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


A few hours later...

  
  


"I'm sure we were supposed to turn right back there."

  
  


"Just like the last time where we turned right and we ended up in the middle of a Muggle Parade, right Fred?" George elbowed his twin.

  
  


"So I haven't always been right. How was I supposed that it was Orange Day in Devon Village?"

  
  


Ron piped up, "Maybe from the six signs we passed on the way into town."

  
  


"You're not helping Ron."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Molly Weasley was not the least suprised when Errol the Owl plopped onto the kitchen table in the Burrow. This was the fourth owl that she had received this year about the twins' behavior. Thus far they had blown up a cauldron in Potions with a filibuster firework, cast a spell on a Slytherin second year so that his skin flashed the colors of the rainbow and let Lee Jordan's pet tarantula loose in the staff quarters. Needless to say, Professor McGonagall had not been happy when she woke up at three in the morning due to something furry crawling across her face. 

  
  


Molly looked at her husband, pleading. "Arthur, would you please open that? I don't think I could stand to find out what the twins have done this time."

  
  


Arthur obliged. He untied the note from Errol's leg and set him in his cage.

  
  


"What prank do you think those two rascals pull this time?" Arthur grinned with mirth. His laughter faded as he saw Molly wasn't amused. 

  
  


He opened it and turned pale. 

  
  


"What did they do this time?" Molly lamented.

  
  


"Nothing Dear. Nothing." Arthur maneuvered the letter away from her sight.

  
  


"I declare Arthur! If they've blown something else up, I'm going to find out. You might as well tell me."

  
  
  
  


"That's just it. They haven't blown anything up or pulled any other types of pranks." Arthur paused. "The twins and Ron have run disappeared."

  
  


"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

  
  


"Percy wrote that no one can find them."

  
  


Without saying another word Molly raced over to the fireplace, grabbed a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire. "HOGWARTS!!!" She cried.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


By the time Harry, Ron, Fred and George arrived in Hogsmeade it was evening. The four had slowly returned to normal conversation although they tactfully stayed away from topics that concerned Harry being.....well,.... Harry. As they approached Honeydukes they were discussing the Chudley Cannons.

  
  


"They're still in last place?!?!" That was Harry.

  
  


"They're going to be making a comeback soon, just you wait. Just this year they-" 

  
  


Ron was cut off by George, "You'll have to excuse Ron. He's under the delusion that the Cannons are going to win a game sometime in the next ten years. We're working on getting him to a psychologist in order to help him work through these issues he's having."

  
  


"I am NOT having any ISSUES! You just wait and see! Any day now they'll be back on top!"

  
  


"Not in a million years."

  
  


Harry interrupted the brother's heated debate as they arrived in the center of town. "Where do we go from here?" 

  
  


Harry watched as the twins shared a glance between them. Fred spoke. 

  
  


"You have to promise that you won't tell anyone." 

  
  


"Tell anyone what?" Harry asked.

  
  


"Promise."

  
  


"All right, I promise. Tell anyone what?" 

  
  


George pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This, is a very helpful mischief-making tool." He pulled out his wand, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Lines spread out on the piece of paper until a map of Hogwarts was formed. 

  
  


Harry gasped, "The Maunders Map!"

  
  


"You've heard about it?!?!"

  
  


"My Dad and Sirius helped write it!"

  
  


"They helped write it?!?!" 

  
  


"Sirius was Padfoot and my Dad was Prongs. Another of their friends, Remus Lupin, was Moony and the idiot back in the alleyway was Wormtail."

  
  


"Wicked!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Molly Weasley burst into the Headmaster's office trailed by her husband. The Headmaster was seated at his desk speaking to two men. 

  
  


"Professor!"

  
  


Dumbledore looked up, "Molly. Thank you for coming. I'm afraid we have a small problem." 

  
  


"Any news about the boys?"

  
  


"I'm afraid not. But please, sit down and join us, you also Arthur. I believe you've met Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. And of course Minerva McGonagall."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Parvati Patil watched with amazement as her roommate paced the length of the Gryffindor first year girls dormitory all the while muttering under her breath. She had stumbled in upon this peculiar sight when hurrying upstairs to look up a spell to reapply her makeup. 

  
  


"Hermione?" Parvati questioned. "Are you all right?"

  
  


The bookworm just kept pacing and muttering.

  
  


Parvati tried again. "I think the carpet is getting a little thin."

  
  


Nothing.

  
  


"McGonagall just told me to tell you that you failed your Transfiguration test."

  
  


Hermione didn't acknowledge her presence. Now Parvati KNEW something was wrong. Normally at the mention of even one wrong answer Hermione would completely flip out and read every possible book to figure out what the right answer was, the reasoning behind it and anything else she could cross reference in the process.

  
  


"Hermione? Can you hear me? Have you gone deaf?"

  
  


Hermione did not speak to Parvati but it was then that some of the mumbled words reached Parvati's ears. "Never would have...that dog!...and Chad...missing...no....not really Chad....Harry is his....."

  
  


Parvati then remembered Hermione telling her about her brother Chad who was "a bigger menace that the Weasley twins!" as Hermione had put it.

  
  


Parvati tried one more time, "Hermione, your brother Chad just took your book Hogwarts, A History."

  
  


Hermione suddenly jumped back to reality. "HE"S NOT CHAD!" Hermione trumpeted, and then cringing, "Oh, this is the biggest mess!" and Hermione tore out of the room.

  
  


Parvati watched all this in puzzlement. She could never understand that girl. What on earth was- Well, whatever it was it probably wasn't significant. Now, back to more important things. Like that make-up application charm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


A half hour later, Harry and his new friends were at the back of the statue of the One-Eyed Witch. 

"Alright," stated Fred. "There's no one on the other side of the statue so we'll just sneak back in and no one will be the wiser. Then you, Harry, can make your grand entrance and scare the bejeepers out of Hermione and everyone else." 

  
  


"Is that even a word?" asked Ron.

  
  


"I don't know," replied Fred. "But it sure sounds cool."

  
  


"Wait a moment," intruded George. "Before we head back to the common room do you think it would be a good idea to plant a little suprise for our favorite potions teacher?"

  
  


Harry's face lit up. "A prank?"

  
  


"No, a basket of flowers." George rolled his eyes, "of course a prank."

  
  


"Sounds good to me. What's the teacher like?"

  
  


"Oh, he's nasty. He takes points off Gryffindor for ridiculous things. Like getting a potion RIGHT. Meanwhile, he awards Slytherin House lot's of points for small things, like attempting a potion." 

  
  


"Say no more," grinned Harry, "Let's go!" 

  
  


They arrived at the dungeons in minute time with assistance from the Maunders Map. George had hardly pulled the dung bombs out of his bag (why he had them with him Harry did not want to know) when Harry heard footsteps coming toward him. George stuffed the dungbomb back into his bag and Harry and the Weasleys hid behind the potions teachers' desk. Just in time. 

  
  


They hadn't been hid but a moment when a man entered. He was tall with dark greasy hair and reminded Harry a bit of a vampire he had once seen in a movie. It took the man only a minute to find the foursome.

  
  


"Out!" he commanded in barely a whisper.

  
  


Harry, Ron, Fred and George shuffled out from under the desk. 

  
  


"So," hissed the man, "The missing Weasleys have been found. You've caused everyone quite a lot of trouble. What are you doing here? Planting another prank, no doubt." The man's eyes loomed from the Weasleys to Harry in one unblinking stare. "And what is your name?" 

  
  


"What's yours?" Harry responded sharply. The man's demeanor rubbed Harry the wrong way. 

  
  


"Don't give me cheek. I asked you a question you answer it. You should have respect for your betters."

  
  


"You may be older than me," Harry muttered, "But that doesn't make you my 'better'."

  
  


"What was that?" barked the man.

  
  


"Nothing." Said Harry, and then, seeing how the man was glaring at him he added "sir." 

  
  


"That's better. Now, what is your name?"

  
  


"Harry."

  
  


The man's eyes bore into Harry's head as though he was trying to see the answer, rather than hear it from Harry. Harry met his eyes unblinkingly. "I did not ask for your first name. Now, I will repeat this one more time. What is your name?"

  
  


"Potter."

  
  


The man's eye's widened and his face went from pale to white. "Potter!" He hissed, and then, "5 points from Gryffindor!"

  
  


"But I'm not in a house yet." said Harry, puzzled. 

  
  


"Then once you are in Gryffindor there will be five points taken away. Follow me." The man left the room with a swish of his cloak.

  
  


"But-"

  
  


"Don't push it." Said Ron. "Snape can get nasty."

  
  


"That was Snape?!?!"

  
  


"He's the worst teacher in the school."

  
  


"He's a teacher?!?! Oy, I'm going to fail!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Sirius Black looked up as Severus Snape stormed into the Headmaster's office. 

  
  


"Albus I-" Snape cut off upon acknowledgment of the presence of Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Minerva McGonagall. "Black." Snape sneered.

  
  


"Snape, what a cheerful edition to our conversation." growled Sirius. He had never liked that slimy git.

  
  


"I would hold my tongue if I were you Black, I found something of yours planting dungbombs in my classroom." Snape turned to the Weasleys, "And of yours." 

  
  


"What?" questioned Sirius, unsure if he believed what his arch nemesis was insinuating.

  
  


"Your brats seem to have found each other and decided to wreck havoc upon my dungeon."

  
  


It was then that there was a knock on the door. 

  
  


"Come in," called Dumbledore.

  
  


The door slowly opened and four boys entered cautiously, three redheads and one- "Harry!" Sirius leaped from his chair and engulfed him in an oxygen depriving hug. "Don't you ever go off like that again do you hear me?" 

  
  


Snape said something to Dumbledore and bolted from the room but Sirius was too preoccupied with Harry to pay attention. 

  
  


"Sorry Sirius." Harry muttered. "You forgot your wand and I was trying to find you." 

  
  


"Sirius," Professor Dumbledore interrupted, "Come sit down. I think there is a lot of explaining to be done."

  
  


"Of course Albus." said Sirius, "Harry, this is Professor Dumbledore who I've told you about." 

  
  


"Nice to meet you Professor." Harry replied shyly. Since when was Harry shy? Sirius wondered. 

"It's nice to see you again also Mr. Potter." Dumbledore's eyes gave off a familiar twinkle, "I believe you've met Remus Lupin?"

  
  


Harry suddenly turned pink. "Sorry I ran away, I didn't-"

  
  


"Understandable, Harry." Remus cut off. "I'm just glad you're all right. You look just like your father, I should have seen it sooner."

  
  


Dumbledore turned to Mrs. Weasley who was berating her three sons. "Would you come join us? I'd like to untangle recent events. Minerva, would you mind writing to Mr. and Mrs. Granger to assure them that Harry is all right and then finding Miss Granger and bringing her to my office?"

  
  


"Certainly Albus." McGonagall left for the Owlery.

  
  


"Now, Mr. Potter." said Dumbledore when all were seated, "Would you please explain what happened from when Remus first met you on the train up until now." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
